


Holiday of a Lifetime

by wendymr



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Awkward Goodbyes, Episode Tag, Gen, What Lies Tangled
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 10:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7753717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wendymr/pseuds/wendymr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Thought I’d give ye a second chance to say goodbye properly.” </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holiday of a Lifetime

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Willowbrooke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowbrooke/gifts).



> For Willowbrooke, a little ficlet to say happy birthday! I hope it's been a lovely day so far.
> 
> * * *

They’ve gone. Disappeared out of sight, past security and through to the boarding area.

James turns away, his twisted gut now a solid weight on his stomach even as he curses himself. What did he imagine? That they’d change their minds, throw away the thousands of pounds they’ve spent on their flights and just come back to Oxford as if nothing had happened?

They’re on their way to New Zealand. Six months without Robbie Lewis. Oh, there’ll be email and maybe even Skype, but there’s the time difference. And why should Robbie care about James’s mundane frustrations when he’s on the other side of the world, having the holiday of a lifetime with the woman he loves?

He should be on his way back to Oxford, to work. But he can’t tear himself away from the departures board, where the flight to Auckland is due to take off in two hours’ time. It’s hard not to feel abandoned, even though the idea is completely illogical. What claim does he have over Robbie, much less Laura? Why should they take his feelings remotely into consideration when organising their lives? Why should he have any right to expect that they’ll care that he’s going to miss their constant presence, friendship and support?

He has no right. No claim. It’s as simple as that. 

And what was he thinking? _You’ll be missed_. Why does he always have to be such a useless–

“Oi! Hathaway! I’ve only got five minutes, an’ it’ll be wasted if you make me stare at the back of your neck for half of it!”

He’s whirled around before Robbie’s even finished his sentence. _Stay calm. Don’t over–react._ “Forgotten something, Robert?”

“Thought I’d give ye a second chance to say goodbye properly.” 

James doesn’t need the amusement in Robbie’s tone to know that the man’s not serious. He raises an eyebrow. When Robbie doesn’t immediately continue, James says, “I thought you’d gone through security already.”

“I had. Showed me warrant card an’ said I’d forgotten to tell my colleague something important. They gave me–”

“Five minutes. You said.”

“Yeah. So.” Robbie shrugs one shoulder. “We’re a pair of useless sods when it comes to saying things that matter. Laura threatened to use her scalpel on me after that pathetic display – her words. An’ she’s right,” he adds quickly before James can deny it. “I’m gonna miss you. We both are. And the thing is – as much of a posh git as you are sometimes, I’m not sure I want it to be six months before I see you again. Nor does Laura.”

James dips his head, not wanting Robbie to see the emotion he knows is written on his face. His only safe refuge is humour. “I’m not sure how I’ll cope without my daily dose of Geordie. But I’m sure it would cost too much to change your ticket – not to mention pissing Laura off again.”

“There’s a simpler solution, canny lad.” Robbie closes the gap between them by squeezing James’s forearm. “Get yourself a month’s holiday – you’re more than due the time – an’ come out to us. If you can – I mean, I know there’s your dad and you won’t want to leave if he needs you.”

Join them in New Zealand? There’s nothing he’d like better. 

But of course he can’t. It’s ridiculous. They wouldn’t really want him, for one thing. Robbie might say it now, but when he reflects on it later he’ll be relieved that James said no. He’d be in the way, the awkward sod with no social skills. He couldn’t leave work for that long, anyway. And, yes, there’s his father.

Before he can politely refuse, using the reason that he really can’t leave his dad for that long, his phone beeps. Force of habit makes him look; in the police, any message could be urgent. 

It’s from Laura. _Nell says you should go. Your dad will be in good hands._

Before he can ask Robbie what Laura’s doing talking to Nell, his phone beeps again.

_Don’t be an idiot, James. It’s the holiday of a lifetime. They want you to, so GO. I’ll be with Dad and you can Skype us every couple of days._

He raises his gaze from the tiny screen to Robbie, who’s looking amused, but also anxious. “Well? I’m not movin’ until you say yes.”

James’s heart takes an unexpected leap. Maybe, for once, he can have something he really wants. “You’ll miss your flight,” he says, cautiously testing.

Robbie shrugs. “There’re other flights.”

There’s less than a minute left. They really don’t need the Transport Police making a formal complaint to Moody. “Yes,” James says. “I’d like to come out and join you – if you’re both sure, and if it’s safe to leave Dad for a couple of weeks. All right, up to a month,” he amends as Robbie frowns.

A broad grin covers Robbie’s face. “Good. Look, I’ll phone you in a few days, okay? Once we’ve got there an’ recovered a bit from the jet–lag.”

James nods. “Have a safe flight.”

Robbie snorts. “C’mere, you daft sod.” And before James knows what’s happening, he’s being enfolded in a Geordie bear–hug. 

_I don’t do hugging_ , he might have said once upon a time, just as he’d told Robbie that he and his father didn’t do hand-holding. But when a hug feels like this, why would he ever want to deny himself the experience?

Abruptly, Robbie breaks away. “Right. Have to go. I’ll call you.” And before he’s even finished speaking, he’s jogging back towards the security gates, leaving James alone again. Alone – but not abandoned. This time, he has the prospect of a New Zealand journey of his own to look forward to, and far more precious: the knowledge that he’s wanted and needed. 

He should be heading back to Oxford, but he still waits until he sees the silvery-white 747 angling up into the clouds. Only then, he turns towards the airport exit and back to the responsibilities that await him. But now there’s a spring in his step and a smile on his face.

After all, he’s got the holiday of a lifetime to look forward to.

* * *


End file.
